Snowflower
by Kaylee16
Summary: At that moment, I knew. Kuro-kun would never ever look at me, Yukizome Kukuri again. All he would see was Isana Yashiro, whose consciousness now used my body as a vessel for. When the hound sets its gaze on the snowflower, all it sees is the upcoming spring which will arrive when the flower wilts. KuroKu


**A/N: **KuroKu seems like an odd pairing, but I really didn't think that all the KuroKu scenes in the anime were there for nothing, thus prompting me to ship the pairing (which I think could have turned out real cute!)

* * *

**Snowflower**

**A Yatogami Kuroh x Yukizome Kukuri fanfic**

* * *

_You are the gallant hound, noble and valiant, whereas I am but a mere snowflower, one which would be forgotten with the arrival of spring._

…

The very first time she set her olive-eyes on him was at the station leading to Ashinaka. He looked lost yet determined, his grey orbs seeking for something that must be found. Students sauntered towards the train heading back to mainland, and amongst the crowd of Ashinaka students, a man with long raven hair stood out with his formal attire. He stood motionless staring at the revolving hologram of their school emblem, and that was when she stepped forth.

"Excuse me…can I help you with something?" she asked, hugging three large posters to her chest.

Another student turned. "What's wrong? A friend of yours?"

"No, but he seemed like he needed some help." she smiled back.

The man hesitated, and finally spoke. "…I'm looking for Isana Yashiro. Do you know him?"

She pondered hard, wanting more than usual to help. "Isana?" Something clicked. "Oh, you mean Shiro-kun? Sure, he's my classmate."

The grey eyes widened. "Where is he?"

After mentioning that the white-haired classmate had gone out on an errand, she quickly offered. "If you'd like, I could show you to the student dormitory."

Sliding out her Ashinaka PDA, she entered details of bringing a guest and beamed. "Follow me. I'll show you to the boy's dorm."

To her surprise, the man bowed, one of his hands resting on the katana by his side. "Thank you. I am grateful for your cooperation."

She smiled. This was an interesting fellow. "You're being so dramatic! I'm just doing what's right." Receiving gratitude for help always flattered her.

"Not many can do the 'right thing' when it counts." he replied, not lifting his head. "…that was what my master used to say. I will not forget what you have done to help me."

She froze at the formality, then burst out laughing. "You're a funny guy. So, how did you and Shiro-kun know each other?" She was really interested to know where her classmate had picked up such a gentlemanly friend.

"I have something that I must hand over to him." he said, his head now lifted to meet her gaze.

"Like something he dropped?"

"His death warrant."

"Did you say…wallet?" People always drop that.

"No."

* * *

"Eh? Shiro-kun has a sister?" She and the man stood below the dorms, looking upwards at her white-haired friend.

"I appreciate you showing me here." He quickly said.

"My pleasure!" But by the time she turned to him, he was already gone. Something caught her attention, as she walked over to the huge suitcase lying at the side.

"I guess he's just as forgetful as Shiro-kun." she smiled to herself. As she set it aside by her classmate's door, she took out a piece of paper –from the same notebook she wrote a list of things for Shiro's errand – and left a message. After brief hesitation, she drew a doodle of herself by the side, should he ever forget her.

…

_You are quiet, serious, composed and courteous. One ever so different from myself. It is a miracle that two entities of such dissimilarity would ever be acquainted with one another. _

* * *

No one would know how happy she was when she saw him the next day in class, sitting legs crossed on the table behind Shiro. She was further elated by news that he and a strange cute girl were transfer students.

He once again, thanked her for her cooperation on the previous day. One would think that gratitude of such trivial assistance would have its bounds. Now using the chance presented upon her, she asked for his name – something she had very keen to know.

"I'm Yukizome Kukuri. What's your name?"

"…Yatogami Kuroh."

She laughed, comparing the two names of being similar to the game Othello. Kuro and Shiro. Black and white.

…

_Yatogami Kuroh…your name is forever etched in my mind._

* * *

She went about with her preparations for the school festival. She had her duties as an Ashinaka student, and though she was repeatedly told that she helped others as a form of hobby, she felt that being nice was necessary if she didn't want her life to tumble over.

Again, as she crossed campus under the bright cerulean sky holding bags and boxes with her petite hands, she encounters the three again. Shiro-kun, the girl called…Neko, and Kuro-kun.

The black-haired man strode over with brisk steps and offered to help her. Without waiting for a response, she had found herself handing the things over to him. Feeling heat rise to her face, she thanked him kindly. Perhaps it was due to him wanting to repay her for showing him to Shiro-kun. Again, she wonders if his gratitude really had no bounds.

By that point, she had taken an immediate liking to the group. The trio which always seemed to be in a world of their own, enjoying their lives in the most bizarre of ways. She watched them from afar, at times even eavesdropping in their conversations – though she did not understand a single thing they conversed about most of the time.

She was often left confused, and it seemed like the trio had preferred it that way. Something was going on, but she doesn't know about it. She was completely uninvolved.

…

_I love watching you. It brightens me up, even from afar. But you have your own secrets. There are things that you don't want me to know. I won't delve into them - that would mean that I don't trust you. But as much as you associate yourselves with me, as much as I watch you…_

…_I will forever be an outsider, and nothing more._

* * *

Days after that were joyful. She loved seeing the students gathered together to prepare for the festival. And she loved even more, to see him in class giving motivation to the other students to keep working. She wondered if he was doing that at his free will, or if it was to stand in for Shiro-kun, who was again, missing-in-action.

…

_I wonder if your niceness has its limits. Do you do it for him? Or do you do it for yourself? Finally, I see a connection between us. How we both see being nice as a form of necessity. _

* * *

The pink-haired girl, Neko, was quick to become associated with her. Mostly because she always had packets of rice crackers she could offer the cat-eyed transfer student. Sumika tells her that it was impossible to believe that the two were actual transfer students – especially since one was named after the word 'cat'.

Neko giggles and cheers every time she handed out a new packet of crackers. She enjoyed pleasing her. It made her feel like she was really being nice. It was almost as if she was rearing a pet, though it was weird to think about a classmate like that.

Once, when her newfound friend had successfully retrieved Shiro-kun, she took out another pack of crackers. The quiet man then walked over.

"You have a hole in the elbow." He said, referring to her torn sleeve. She peered down, and true enough, there was. He drew near, offering to help her stitch up. Allowing him to do so, she felt Mishina's gaze from behind, but paid no heed to it.

His touch was warm and gentle, his eyes full of concentration and precision. She looked at his face, feeling entranced by it, pulling her into an abyss she couldn't – and wouldn't – resist.

…

_Why do you help me? Do you notice my presence as much as I do to yours? What am I to you? _

_You help me as a form of repayment. It is hollow, emotionless. There is nothing but formality._

* * *

She didn't know when it started, but her life became utterly strange. Almost as if there was someone she was supposed to remember but couldn't.

There was a blank space in her mind, but as hard as she tried, she couldn't remember, not even the slightest bit. She was angry at herself; she knew it would benefit others if she remembered.

…

_What was it that I can't remember? What!?_

* * *

There was an explosion. She lifted her head towards the highest floor of the tower, where wafts of thick brown smoke ascended to the sky.

A strong pair of arms caught her, rescuing her from the crash above. She knew it was him. It was definitely him. She didn't know who it was, but she just felt like…he would definitely be there. He took her to an abandoned building far away from the main school building, with a white-haired lad and a pink-haired girl following behind.

A wound on the white-haired lad's lower abdomen caught her attention. She wanted to return the favor of rescuing her from probable death, and since she was skilled in treating wounds, she asked to take a look.

Everything after that was beyond her control.

…

_I fought for my consciousness. I really tried. I couldn't control what I was doing. I didn't know what hit me when my hands reached for a shard of glass, impaling the guy with that. I wanted to scream, to just drop my hands and stop myself. But instead, I felt my lips curl upwards into what I think was a smirk. I didn't know what I was doing. The more I struggled, the more I lost control over my own body._

_The raven-haired man pinned me down, demanding answers for 'my' actions. For reasons I didn't seem to know, they knew me. And it hurts to not know who they are._

_My mouth opened, words which seemed incoherent to me forming on my lips. They belonged to someone else. I took off, being unable to control my own legs._

_There was another voice besides mine. It told me to just stay put and out of the way._

_With what little conscience I had left, I whispered._

"Help me…"

_But no one heard my plea._

* * *

Everything was pure white, like a dream. Being in his arms too, was like a dream. She stared up at him and muttered.

"…Kuro-kun?"

_Yes. That was Kuro-kun...she thought she would never forget. And there's Neko, and…and…_

He looked genuinely surprised. "You remember me?"

She nodded, slow and hesitant. "Eh…? Kuro-kun, Neko, and…" Tears rolled down her cheeks. "There's someone else, but why…"

"It's alright." he said, understanding. "Just rest for now."

Turning to look behind Kuro, she saw a floating castle-like figure disintegrating. It reminded her of one word: pure white.

The tears wouldn't stop falling.

Kuro put her down at the train station outside of the school, where the students were evacuated to. Sumika and Mishina rushed to her side.

"Kukuri! Are you okay? What happened?"

She forced a smile. Turning back to thank Kuro, she noticed him leaving.

"Kuro-kun!" she called. The raven-haired man stopped and looking at her over his shoulder, he gave a reassuring smile.

"Just stay here and rest." He said, his voice ever so kind and gentle. She watched his retreating figure silently, jumbled emotions churning through her.

She stared, her mouth agape. She couldn't apprehend the situation, but memories of the days she spent with Kuro and Neko were slowly flowing back to her.

When they stood by the vending machine talking…

When they prepared for the school festival…

When she peered into the tent to find the three of them in Edo-Japan uniforms…

When they laughed together about silly things…

When Neko ran all over the place, irritating Kuro and worrying…

"Shiro-kun."

…

_Shiro-kun…how could I have forgotten about you…_

She stiffened, recalling the person she involuntarily injured earlier with the shard of glass.

"I…" she looked at her trembling hands in horror. "I…hurt Shiro-kun!"

A scream broke out amidst the commotion at the station. The Ashinaka students clumped together turned to the source. The student council rushed over, determined to protect the students at all costs.

She kept screaming, wailing and even sobbing. The girl on her knees was breaking; there was nothing the concerned Sumika and Mishina could do.

…

_What have I done!? _

Although she lost her footing once in a while, the brown-haired girl rushed over to where the raven-haired man had disappeared to.

Back to the school grounds.

* * *

The pink-haired girl and the raven-haired man shoved their way through the rubble, where the explosion had occurred. Finding the familiar red umbrella stuck to the ground, Neko rushed forth and yanked it up, hugging it tightly.

The brunette dragged her feet over to the site, watching the two. Neko yelled at Kuroh-kun, claiming that Shiro-kun is still alive. The swordsman narrowed his eyes, but the frown was soon replaced with a knowing smile.

"Yes. Shiro is our King." he admitted.

Both turned to the approaching figure, eyes widened in shock.

"Kukuri!" Neko exclaimed, dashing over in a manner that seemed animal-like. Said girl smiled weakly at her friend, then at Kuro.

"What are you doing up and about?" He glared at her, anger flaring up.

"I just…" She couldn't face them.

"You're still so weak! You should be resting!" Kuro frowned.

"Don't be angry at Kukuri!" Neko pouted. "She's just worried about Shiro, just like I am!"

"Don't be stupid." said Kuro. "She doesn't remember Shiro – "

"I remembered." she interrupted, her voice quiet and small. All the while, she kept her head low, fixing her olive-eyes on the rubble at her feet.

"What?"

"Shiro-kun…I remember him…"

…

_I've sinned…I've hurt him…and you returned and risked your lives just to save me…I don't deserve your kindness…_

* * *

"Kukuri."

Her heart skipped a beat at the call of her name.

"…Shiro-kun..?" The voice was in her head.

"I'm sorry, Kukuri." He was there, deep within herself. Shiro-kun was _in_ her. Next thing she knew, she spoke to Kuro and Neko about things she didn't understand herself.

"It's me, Neko, Kuro."

The two paused. Gasping in shock, Neko threw herself onto Kukuri's body.

"Shiro! Shiro!" she wailed. "I knew you're still around!"

"Isana Yashiro? But how–"

"I don't really understand it myself. But my consciousness had found another host easily, and by the looks of it, Kukuri's mind is still fairly vacant from being occupied by the Colorless King. It made it relatively simple for me to find myself in her.

"And she is still alright?" asked Kuro.

"Yes." She found herself nodding her head. "I can communicate with her…um…telepathically like this. But I think I'll have to find my own body soon."

The two clansmen nodded. "Understood, my king!" Neko beamed.

She felt heat rush to her face from all the body contact she had with Neko. Relieved, the black-haired man smiled at her. Not with the eyes he used to look at her with, filled with formalities and chivalry, but with deep loyalty and friendship, the ones he used to look at Shiro-kun with.

…

_At that moment, I knew. Kuro-kun would never ever look at me, Yukizome Kukuri again. All he would see was Isana Yashiro, whose consciousness now used my body as a vessel for._

_And I had also realized that I've always wanted him to look at me with those same eyes. Beyond gratitude and reserve; beyond acquaintances and friends._

_Kuro-kun was a hound, proud and loyal. Shiro-kun was spring, bright and cheerful. I was a snowflower, temporary and unsightly._

_When the hound sets its gaze on the snowflower, all it sees is the upcoming spring which will arrive when the flower wilts. _

* * *

**Snowflower**

**END**

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**A/N: **This is a tester subject for what could potentially expand into an action-packed, mystery-unraveling, romance-filled, multi-chapter fanfiction, based on the response from this oneshot.

Thank you very much for reading, and I hope you see the fluffiness of KuroKu as much as I do. :D

Foremost thanks for your reviews!


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